Mike Maher

Dr Mike Maher recently retired from the NSW Government following a 40 year career spanning research, policy and management of inland wetlands. This career provided some amazing opportunities to witness wetlands and their inhabitants across a diverse range of climatic conditions, for which he is forever grateful.

Highlights include helping to set up the annual Eastern Australian Aerial Survey for waterbirds in 1983, which continues under the leadership of Professor Richard Kingsford; being part of the research team that drew attention to the importance of wetting and drying in wetlands; uncovering the magic wetlands of the Paroo River and its floodplains; establishing the Ramsar Managers Network to support landholders who had successfully nominated their wetlands to the Convention and being part of the team within NSW Office of Environment and Heritage that established the NSW environmental water management program.

Mike was also instrumental in establishing many of the wetland reserves in western NSW. His role combined both an understanding of the ecological values of each potential reserve and a trusting relationship developed with the relevant landholders. Such relationships are critical for good natural resource management and it is this that attracts Mike to the MDWWG. He believes strongly in the value of partnerships for the successful conservation of natural resources.

Mike brings to the MDWWG a deep understanding of Government, of environmental water management and of the rivers and wetlands of the northern Basin.